Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Interview in review

Let me start by saying that this firm was very far west on Belmont. For those of you who don't know Chicago, let's just say it's an interesting area. Because I need a job and I thought it could be a diamond in the rough, I decided to go on the interview anyway. It was no diamond, but I did get an interesting story out of it.

After a twenty minute cab ride, we pull up in front of the firm. Well, that's not entirely correct. Technically, we pulled up in front of a garage. At which point, the cab driver said, "I think this is it" and started laughing at me. Thanks for that, asshole.

You'll be happy to know that the cab driver was wrong and the law firm was not located in a garage. It was in the ramshackle house across the street from the garage. There's a big difference.

So, as instructed by their email, I let myself in through the side door. The inside was pretty much what you'd expect for a firm run out of someone's ramshackle house. A couple of computers, files everywhere, a taped up piece of paper designating the bathroom and baby stuff everywhere b/c one of the lawyers just had a kid. All in all, pretty fucking sweet.

The interview was pretty standard except for one part. The guy said to me, "Most of your work would be for one of our bigger clients. She's an Eastern European land owner who's business is worth a little over a billion dollars." To which I was tempted to respond, "That, sir, is not even a believable lie."

And there you have it - another one of my adventures in interviewing. Even if I get this job, I'm not going to be able to take it. It's pretty apparent that I'd need to have a) a car; and b) even lower self-worth than I currently have.

Many, many years ago I interviewed at a similar firm (in a similar neighbourhod). By the end of the interview, I knew that I would not take the job even had it been offered.

The best part? About two or three weeks later there was a story on the local evening news about a murder. I'm watching the segment and I imediately recognised the crime scene as being next door to the law firm.

Did they happen to say what sort of legal work this Eastern European Billionairess needed? I am imagining a) that she is, as you believe, fictitious, b) the "front" for her mafioso brother/father/husband, c) an international kiddie porn magnate. There's like three different law and order episodes this could end up being.

D: Just stumbled across this blog while clicking through the internet finding people who are pissed off at law schools and/or Sallie Mae. Check check. Anyway - based on what I see here - you have an interest in health law, or insurance defense - have you considered a claims position with a professional liability carrier? My first job out of law school was doing med mal claims for an insurance carrier. They worship the JD, they hire JD's every day of the week over people with claims experience. You also get to boss around the attorneys who 10 minutes ago wouldn't return your calls. Anyway, something to think about. It's a great career move for a lot of people with a JD. Good luck. RP